Track Preview:OHS favored, but OBC competition strong

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Track Preview:OHS favored, but OBC competition strong

Sports

Thursday, 04 March 2010 01:57

By Rick Pedone
Sports Editor
The Osceola High girls remain the team to beat at the Orange Belt Conference track meet later this month, but after losing three-quarters of their gold-medal 4 x 100 relay to graduation, they may not dominate as they have over the past three seasons.
The Osceola boys will defend their conference championship against several strong challengers.
Osceola
Coach Eric Pinellas has led the Kowgirls to three consecutive top 10 finishes at the Class 4A state meet, and the team has dominated the Orange Belt Conference.
But now Osceola has a young team that is led by two-event state champion Tynia Gaither, who won the 100 meters title last May and anchored the winning 4 x 100 relay. She was second at 200 meters at the state meet.
“She can repeat,” Pinellas said.
Gaither holds county records in the 100 (11.78) and the 200 (24.13) sprints.
“Our goal is to get her to 11.5 in the 100 and 23.5 in the 200,” Pinellas said. “If we can do that, then things will take care of themselves.”
Three members of the gold medal 4 x 100 team have graduated, but Pinellas believes he has capable replacements in freshmen Jodiann Crooks and junior Jamisha Gant, who will run the second and third legs.
“I’m not sure who is going to leadoff yet, but I have some people in mind,” he said. “We have a ton of freshmen and sophomores out here, and there’s some talent.”
Gant and freshman Charlie Muzeka will run the hurdles.
The team is deep in middle distance talent with senior Ileis Figueroa returning along with sophomores Mary Hernandez and Chelsea Thomas and freshmen Jevic McGee and Jasmine Ramos.
Senior Shavon Boston returns in the triple jump, and senior Jennifer McDaniels will high jump. Throwers include juniors Doninque Howard and Amber Page.
Pinellas believes his team can defend the district and regional championships.
Boys Coach Dave Andrews will try to lead the team to its third conference title in four years with a cast that includes distance runner Joshua Head, hurdler Marc Deas and thrower Jarell Emanual.
Andrews also is counting on O’Neill Blake in the sprints, Chris Didier in the hurdles and Frank Thomas in the jumps.
“We lost several guys from last year’s team; however, I am pleased with the look of this year’s team,” Andrews said. “As a team, I believe we can finish high in the district. We are young in track and field knowledge, but I see a hunger I haven’t seen in a while.”
Liberty
With over 150 athletes out, coaches Robert Pauley and Ray Hines believe this may be the strongest Chargers team of the school’s three-year history.
“Coach Hines and I honestly feel this will be our best year,” Pauley said. “We believe we are the favorites going into the season for the conference meet, but that means nothing unless you show up on the day we need to perform as this county is pretty strong in track and field.”
Senior hurdler Jean Leon returns after winning the regional championship the past two seasons. Raheem Burnside, Thomas Biejansky, Patrice Pierre and Robbie Johnroe are more returning state qualifiers.
Johnroe will lead the distance runners along with Luis Alvarado and Decarlo Bailey. Cadet Hudson will high jump.
For the girls, Kyanna Lazzell is one of the team’s best hurdlers and Summer Lazzell, a freshman, is strong in the middle distances. Luisa Nevy returns to help in multiple events, while Mercedes Cash, Saundrina Smith and Jazmyn Durate also should contribute.
St. Cloud
Coach Kevin Harkema said his team is strong and deep enough to send a few members to the state meet.
“I’m looking forward to this season, and especially on the distance side look for maybe a return to the state meet,” he said.
Harkema said boys distance runners Bailey Morgan, Carlos Perez and Eric Ratliff “trained like maniacs” in the off-season and set several personal records in the distance events at the season-opening meet last week.
Sean Wood will be solid in the middle distance races, Harkema said.
Other distance runners are Zack Kitzmiller, Antonio Montalvo, Gabe Sanin, Adam Dickson and Logan Scheirer.
The girls team is strong in the throwing events with the return of two-time state qualifier Diana Martinez.
The sprinters and jumpers include Jennifer Fullwood, Jaquita Manning, Annie Barberi, Yazmeilis Santos, Ishnay Pacheco and Janice Welch.
Samantha Crumper will compete in the low hurdles.
The distance team should be strong, Harkema said, with Ashlyn Stadtlander and Katelyn Stadtlander. Anaya Reid ran a 2:31 in her first 800 meters race of the season.
Juliet Talevera, Taylor Swawnson, Rebecca Davis, Taylor Wassum and Rachel Smith lend depth to the distance events.
Gateway
The Panthers have finished among the top three boys teams in the OBC since 2003, winning three straight championships from 2004-06, but Coach Scott Sisson said the squad must mature quickly in order to challenge for another crown.
“At our first meet at St. Cloud, over half the team was experiencing their first high school meet ever,” he said.
Returning are thrower Andrew Harrison and distance standouts Matt Swanson and Carlos Espinal.
The hurdlers are a new group that includes Adeeb Zaman (high hurdles), and Joseph Kimber and Edison Velez (low hurdles). Roger Allen, Joshua Rivera and Richard Simpson are sprinters, while Jorge Irizarry and Edison Velez compete in the middle distance events.
In other field events, Theo Belhomme (high jump), Irizarry (long jump) and Jeffrey Spina-Jennings (pole vault) will contribute.
Coach Ettie Singleton said her girls team is growing and talented.
“My distance group of Audreen Robinson, Shannon Wilson and Mirian Ruiz shuld get us off to a good start,” she said.
Other top returners are Unike Fermin, Katherine Ramirez and Yesenia Ortero.
“I look forward to this season and, hopefully, we’ll challenge for the OBC title,” Singleton said.
Harmony
Coach Debra Schweiger said her boys squad has a good mix of veterans and newcomers.
Jared Beekman and Shawn Buxton are strong in the middle distances, while Cyle Smallwood, Kyle Carr, Matt Henning and Logan Blanton will run the distance events.
Sprinters include Christian Acevedo, Cameron Dulgar and Tyler West. Dulgar will compete in the jumps.
Throwers include Bryan Gutman, Brad Foulke, Jared Payne, Nolan Beatty, Alex Perez and Brandon Skalarek.
“We have a lot of new freshmen out who should add to the talent,” Schweiger said.
Coach Jerrad Butler takes over the girls team, and he is excited at its potential.
“I’m glad to be given this opportunity. I love this group of girls. They have great attitudes and are doing the things we ask them to do. We will get better and grow as the year progresses,” he said.
The team is deep in excellent distance runners with sisters Chelsea and Britanny Connor and Orange Belt Conference cross country champ Sam Travis leading the way.
Makayla West, Emily Johnson and Brianna Hachney will compete in the sprints and Marie Gilbert will run the middle distances.
The field events athletes include Hannah Brown, Alicia Palm and Brianna Heck. The jumpers are Kari Dewey, Kaylee Horn and Gilbert.
The Longhorns will host the regional meet.
Poinciana
Boys Coach Rusty Gould looks forward to the team’s first season in 2A District 8, where it will compete against several Polk County schools.
The Eagles return several of their top athletes in senior Zach Molid, junor Evan Ticknor and sophomore Ronald Decomo in the middle distances and sprints, while thrower Steve Goodson, a senior, also returns.
Kelvin Fitzptrick, Miguel Ortiz, Mykail Smith and Jose Valente are other strong sprinters, Gould said.
“We are excited about our new district. It will give our kids an opportunity to compete with the speed of Polk County,” he said.
Girls Coach Bryan McLoughlin said this may be his best team in years.
“I think Poinciana’s strengths will be the sprints and jumps. Some of my best girls are freshmen,” he said.
On the roster are Nikita Ackerman, Kandra Anderson, Weslee Aristor, Carmen Almendarez, Christina Jean Baptiste, Majjdah Barnett, Andrea Betancur, Kadijah Brown, Christina Cruz, Talita Desouza, Nephthalli Duronville, Estelle Esperance, Catherine Gonnell, Breanna Garrett, Evelyn Hernandez, Mynequa Hines, Natalie Figueroa, Naomi Jean, Kiera Johnson, Solmaris Melo, Nicole Orrey, Whitnee Rayburn, Gensis Rodriguez, Ileana Rodriguez, Tania Urigostegui, Brandi Walker, Shawana Watt, Deandra Winston, Nicole Vazquez and Alexandra Zayas.
Celebration
Boys Coach Joel Fox believes this is the deepest Storm track squad he has coached.
“We have a lot of strong leadership and experience with this year’s senior class and feel like we will be very competitive all season,” Fox said. “I think the conference is very strong this year, but we feel like we can compete for a top spot. With the exception of (former state cross country champion and runner-up at 3,200 meters) Sean Blaney’s, we should see every school record set this year.”
Returning are triple jumpers Deatrick Green, Chilly Cancela and Danya Francis and high jumpers Zack Brown and Cancela.
Brandon Archambeau, Sebastian Gonzalez and Jake Rehrig will long jump, while Martin Rios will pole vault.
Tyler Osorio and Gonzalez will spring, while Marcus George and John Raemisch will compete in the hurdles. Jordan Rains, Leo Mendonca and Miguel Cortes are distance runners.
Newcomers include Jemiel Lowery (sprints), Tyler Curran (distance) and Zach Dyer and Andrew Braun (throws).
Girls Coach Corey Green sees his team making significant strides this season.
“Last year we had a lot of newcomers and we did really well, but the nerves got to us on the bigger stages of the district and regional meets,” Green said. “After a year under our belts and the fact that we return almost everyone I believe that we can really do big things this year.”
Returning are OBC high jump champion Elizabeth Jackson and pole vaulter Jessica Harter, a state qualifier who consistently clears 9 feet.
Also returning are the 4 x 800 squad of Jillian Strogis, Sheran Dhillion, Darby Richards and Christina Ricci.
The Storm will host the 3A-6 district meet.